Soooooo happy for you!! So many benefits to external approach. Your scars will be the least of your worries once those things are gone. It’ll make you look more bad ass. A powerful intimidation tool for your Taekwon-Do opponents.
Oh Shanef89! That news is BEYOND AWESOME!!! I hope he schedules your surgery(ies) soon. I’ll be praying for the surgery(ies) to go w/o a hitch. I’m so excited & relieved that your perseverance has paid off. I expect some of your symptoms will be gone immediately but others may take time. We’re here for you through it all!
Thank you, sir, for your service! The VA is a scary place, for sure. Your story shines the light on the many changes the American heath care system needs! Such wonderful news for you after all that! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you. Best wishes.
That’s brilliant news, I hope it goes well & you don’t have to wait for long! As for scars, it does vary alot as different doctors operate in different ways- mine was a skull base surgeon so he cut behind the ear mainly & it’s not visible at all. Others use a natural crease in the neck, but some like Sewmommas are across the neck. But I’m sure your wife will be pleased to have you feeling better & won’t worry about any scars then!
Praying for you…
He’s going to do both sides in the same week. I’m set to be having it done in the last week of March. I’m so excited. Thank you all for your kind words of support! I’ll keep you updated as it developes.
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You must be walking on air!!
For real though, I am!
Good luck!! Let us know how u make out. I had both mine through the neck in june and sept 2018 and the scars are invisible already. He did them on crease of my neck. I almost wanted the scars as proof to show the hell i went through. But they are gone. Also give urself time to heal. It takes weeks-months for some symptoms to start disappearing. But the pain in neck is usually gone almost immediatley. Also dont wear the anti nausea patch for surgery both times i had severe withdrawals when i took it off. It was worse than the surgery. The second time i thought i would be permanatley dizzy forever. It lasted over a week.
I’ll be sure to update you all as it goes along. I’ve got two weeks now until surgeries and I’m looking forward to being operated on by such a talented surgeon as Ryan Osborne. I’ve been watching some of his case files that he has on amazon prime (OHNI case files) and I’m truly blessed to have this opportunity. Also he will be documenting my case as it develops. I’m so glad that eagles will get some much needed attention, as well as the VAs shortcomings.
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Shane89 -
That’s FANTASTIC NEWS! So glad he’ll document your case & expose some of the VAs shortcomings. You, who have served our country, deserve the best medical care. In cases of diagnoses of rare diseases/syndromes, you should be allowed to see the best of the best doctors & surgeons in the field & not be relegated to seeing only the providers on your health plan.
Hopefully, Dr. Osborne will remove your ligament & styloid process from hyoid to skull base, to help prevent regrowth. That said, every surgeon has his/her own strategy, & it’s best he does what he’s most practiced at doing. It’s great that you’ve been able to see him in action. I just had surgery for Meniere’s Disease & found several videos of the surgery on Youtube. Just needed to know what to expect.
I am really excited to hear how you fare. Having 2 surgeries in a week is going to make your first 2-4 weeks of recovery pretty tough. Please be prepared for that. If you can take prednisone, I highly recommend asking Dr. Osborne to prescribe you a course post op in addition to your pain meds as it will help keep your swelling down.
We’re here for you every step of the way during your recovery so please post liberally!
Sending you a gentle 
I have no doubt he will prescribe exactly what I need. And have full faith he is capable to take from skull base to hyoid bone. I imagine I will need to post liberally as I am in the last half of my last semester of college. I won’t be able to take any time off of school other than the week of the surgery. In fact that next week I will need to complete 3 exams. Though I am always in excruciating pain during exams so I know I’ll make it through. It’ll surely suck. But I’ve been through worse.
Shanef89 -
You’re on the younger end of the age spectrum for people w/ ES so I expect you’ll recovery faster than some of us oldsters. I guess in life, you gotta do what you gotta do. I can’t believe your profs wouldn’t let you take your tests later since you’ll be just coming out of major surgery. There are times when the inflexibility of the educational system can be very frustrating.
Please do post so we can encourage you. You’ve endured so much, perhaps your surgery will feel like “a skate in the park”. That would be the best case scenario!
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Will add in extra prayers for a very, very swift recovery!
Amen flow through and you’ll be fine Dr. Samji is man an absolute angel so trust in god and get her done amen buzz eagle alohaaaaaa
Glad to here your going to get the help you need and those spikes out if your neck and the v a should be exposed for all there short comings and again one vet to another thanks for you commitment and honor and for your service to our great country amen sir buzzington eagle syndrome freedom
Buzzeagle63,
Dr samji is not doing my surgery, he was inconsiderate to my condition he only serves to remove elongated styloid processes since mine was calcified on the stylohyoid ligament he did not want to take me as a patient. And refused to look at my scans. I’m sure he is an angel, but at some point someone’s bound to get a bad impression. That doesn’t change the fact that he’s able and has helped so many of you, for that I’m grateful. But Dr Osborne will be my angel. And thank you for your kind words of encouragement! And of course for your service to our country!
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Amen and bless you and thank you alohaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa brosurfer buzzzy
In one week I will have both surgeries completed. I’m so grateful for the support the universe has placed in front of me, without this support group, I would have lost my will to fight this long, and would’ve been lost without such great guidance. Without you all I wouldn’t have known about Dr Manthei in Las Vegas, who I believe ultimately got in touch with Dr Osborne. Who is a saint for his service to his countries veterans. I don’t know how I’m going to repay all the great fortune bestowed on me but I hope to pay it forward somehow. I feel like I’m living in a dream that was once a nightmare. Thank you all I’ll keep you updated through it all.
PAIN SUMMARY: Today absolutely sucks, neck pain worse than ever, even through the pain meds. Migraine for over an 3 hours now. Being choked by a wire under my chin, with a pull on the back base of my skull, just tight enough to make me squirm. Like some fingers are digging in under my jaw. My face has been tingling for days. Nose feeling like I got feathers stuck in it driving me nuts. Same for my ears. Ears won’t maintain air pressure. No such thing as comfortable position. Ready for the weekend to come and go.
Good grief, man - this sounds almost unbearable!!!
You’re almost there. Thank God for that. I believe recovery will nothing compared to what you’re feeling today!!!
I watched some of the surgeon’s videos on Amazon - he’s awesome. It’s the way it should be that he’s taking you on. Makes me proud. 
Are you having both sides done at once? So glad for you that you have an end in sight…sounds like you’re really suffering at the moment (I know you have been all along but it sounds almost unbearable now) at least surgery should be a breeze after this! You’re in my prayers, & a big hug for you…